31 Traits All Great Leaders Share

The late Apple CEO Steve
Jobs was known for his intense eye for detail.Justin Sullivan/Getty

No matter how much the world changes, there will be timeless
truths about the best way to lead others to success.

Self-made industrialist Andrew Carnegie was the wealthiest man on
the planet in the early 20th century and was a student of what it
takes to achieve greatness. In 1908, he met with the journalist
Napoleon Hill and decided that Hill would be the vehicle for
sharing his strategies with the world.

Their conversations became the basis for nearly all of Hill's
writings from that point forward, including his 1937 book
"Think
and Grow Rich," which became one of the bestselling books of
all time.

Hill collected and edited the notes from these initial
conversations with Carnegie and published them in 1948 as
"Think
Your Way to Wealth."

At one point, Carnegie tells Hill that "successful leaders in all
walks of life" exemplify a set of specific traits, with the best
possessing all of them. We've summarized them below.

1. They have a definite purpose and a definite plan for attaining
it.

Great leaders are always working toward an overarching goal.

2. They have a motive that continuously drives them.

"Nothing great is ever achieved without a definitive motive,"
Carnegie says.

3. They surround themselves with talented people who share their
vision.

Carnegie refers to the ideal team as a "Master Mind alliance."
"Great achievement always is the result of coordination of minds
working toward a definite end," he says.

4. They are able to be self-reliant.

There are still plenty of times when a leader needs to act on
their own initiative, effort, and judgment.

5. They have intense self-discipline.

You can't control others if you can't control yourself. "There
are no exceptions to this rule," Carnegie says.

6. They are persistent.

Great leaders don't abandon plans at the first sign of
opposition.

7. They are creative.

"Able leaders must be eternally seeking new and better ways of
doing things. They must be on the lookout for new ideas and new
opportunities to attain the object of their labors," Carnegie
tells Hill.

8. They are decisive.

It's dangerous to be impulsive, but it is better to make an
imperfect decision than none at all.

9. They collect all possible facts before making judgments.

"Able leaders take nothing for granted without a sound reason.
They make it their business to get at the facts before forming
judgments, but they move promptly and definitely," Carnegie says.

10. They are enthusiastic.

Being overly enthusiastic can be just as off-putting as someone
who is too dry or cynical, but effective leaders know how to
transmit their drive to their team and use that energy toward a
goal.

11. They are fair.

Playing favorites or treating an employee you don't like with
disdain won't yield positive results for long.

Andrew
Carnegie.Wikimedia
Commons

12. They have an open mind.

"The man with a closed mind does not inspire the confidence of
his associates. Without confidence great leadership is an
impossibility," Carnegie explains.

13. They go beyond what is required of them.

"I have never known an able leader in business or industry who
did not endeavor at all times to render more service than any man
under his authority," Carnegie says.

14. They are tactful.

Great leaders know how to be graceful, serving as an attractive
public figurehead for their team.

15. They listen more than they speak.

The best leaders don't use conversations as an excuse to feed
their ego, but rather learn as much as possible from whomever
they're speaking with.

16. They pay attention to detail.

Successful leaders are aware of the responsibilities and output
of all their subordinates, but in a way that doesn't lead to
micro-managing.

17. They are determined.

The best leaders bounce back from defeat, confident that they are
now better equipped to achieve victory.

18. They can take criticism.

"The man who 'flares' up with resentment when his work is
criticized will never become a successful leader," Carnegie says.
"Bigness overlooks the smallness of criticism and carries on."

19. They know when to restrain themselves.

Leaders can lose the respect of their people if they indulge in
excesses too often.

20. They are loyal.

"Loyalty begins with loyalty to one's self," says Carnegie,
referring to the dedication to one's vision. Loyalty to your team
and clients becomes an extension of this.

21. They know when to speak frankly.

A diplomatic leader knows when to refrain from saying something
that will be offensive or compromise their goals, but choosing to
hide the truth through deceit is an easy way to develop a
reputation for being untrustworthy.

22. They understand others' motivations.

Great leaders have the ability to step outside themselves and
imagine the perspectives of both their subordinates and their
competition.

26. They assume responsibility for the mistakes of their
subordinates.

27. They recognize the achievements of others.

A great leader understands that an excellent performance should
be commended, Carnegie says, since people are often more
motivated by verbal recognition of their efforts than they are by
solely a cash bonus.

28. They treat others the way they would like to be treated.

Carnegie tells Hill that he places supreme importance on the
Golden Rule, saying that it is a simple insight into the proper
way to do business.

29. They are optimistic.

Some people wear a pervasive cynicism as a badge of honor, but
those who choose to be positive set themselves up for success and
have better reputations.

30. They assume responsibility for the actions of their entire
team.

Even though Carnegie makes this point at the end of his spoken
list to Hill, he says that if he could go back he'd list it as
the first point due to its importance.

31. They are able to act without being guided by emotion.

Carnegie finds that the best leaders have
a degree of Stoicism about them, in the sense that they can
separate themselves from their emotions when it comes time to
make an important decision and see things objectively.